The present invention relates to water closet rims and more particularly to a method for venting air from such rims to reduce the noise level during a flushing operation. The present invention also relates to water closet rims incorporating the method of the present invention.
Water closets typically are provided with a bowl, a hollow perforated annular rim around the upper edge of the bowl and a flush mechanism selectively operable to deliver a supply of pressurized water to the rim. The pressurized water delivered by the flush mechanism swirls through the rim and sprays out of perforations in the rim into the bowl to clean the bowl. Examples of water closet rims can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,070,245 (issued Aug. 12, 1913), 1,261,561 (issued Apr. 2, 1918), 1,533,860 (issued Jan. 15, 1923), 1,675,841 (issued July 3, 1923) and 3,568,216 (issued Mar. 9, 1971).
In recent years, many water closets have been devised which use a smaller amount of water for each flush cycle than previously was necessary. Such water closets often have smaller rim cavities and smaller perforations in the rim cavity than conventional water closets. While a certain amount of noise emanates from any water closet rim, the newer water conservation water closets have an increased tendency to emit undesirable noise during a flushing operation. The user hears various sounds, such as hissing, gurgling, whistling, aspirating and squealing noises as a mixture of water and air are forced through the perforations in the rim by the water pressure. What is needed, then, is an inexpensive, reliable method to reduce or to eliminate these noises.
The object of the present invention is to provide a method for venting air from a water closet rim to reduce the level of noise emanating from the rim during a flushing operation. Another object of the present invention is to provide a quiet and inexpensive rim for a water closet.